A Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project along 11 miles of U.S. 19 in southern Levy County is scheduled to begin Monday, Jan. 4. The project will include resurfacing the roadway, adding paved shoulders and extending drainage structures.

The Cedar Key Trap-Neuter-Return program has accomplished all that it can, said Doreen Bauer of Faraway Inn. Last week, TNR spayed and neutered 34 cats, bringing the total number to 535 Cedar Key cats in three and half years.

“At this point, there are only about 50 cats left, and those are the smartest, most tricky, and hardest to catch,” Doreen said. “The really smart cats are the ones breeding. Over time, those 50 will turn into a lot more. We can’t do anymore without the community’s help.”

In a special meeting at City Hall Monday afternoon, the city commissioners picked six applicants from a pool of 29 who had applied for the position, which was left open after Fire Chief John Ward was fired last month.

Mayor Teal Pomeroy said the commission based its choices on three main criteria: previous job experience, education and whether or not the applicant was local.

“It definitely helps if they’re local. It’s an easier fit for the community,” he said.